The other day, Technopark’s official Facebook page, posted a photo of two of the campus’ security guards, along with a postscript that broadly stated that women security personnel had been “...posted in various locations on campus, along with their male counterparts, to keep you [women techies] safe and sound.” It got quite a few likes and not just because the lady security officer in question had a winsome smile. Many a techie, particularly the women on campus, tells us they also paused to think about the benefits of having women security personnel on hand and the safety of women on campus, in general.
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“In the two years that I have been working in Technopark, there has been a marked change in the approach to women’s safety and security, with the increasing presence of women security personnel on campus giving it a major fillip,” says Darshana Gauri, a software developer at an MNC.
“For example, at a fire drill in Bhavani building a few days ago, women security guards ensured that women in the building, particularly pregnant women, made it out quickly and safely by allocating a separate exit channel for them,” she adds. Her colleague Sajitha Renoy, a software tester, meanwhile, believes women security guards to be “more amicable and more approachable” than their male counterparts. Darshana chips in: “True, that! There is a security woman in Bhavani building who always welcomes me with a smile in the mornings. It just makes my day every day!” Sajitha continues, “It’s reassuring to have them around. They are a constant presence in most buildings. I also believe that their posting, in a way, has softened the attitude of many of their male colleagues.” In fact, “reassuring” is a word that pops up often.
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“Somehow, knowing that a woman security officer is looking out for you is at once reassuring and comforting, especially for those women who work after hours and those who have to travel to and from Technopark at night. Women tend to communicate with women better and that will come in handy during an emergency,” adds Anaswara Koratty Swaroopan, a content writer. “Also, employing women security personnel is a major step towards gender inclusivity in the workplace and I’m glad that Technopark is leading the way in this respect too,” she says.
Women security personnel have actually been a part of campus life for about a decade now, largely thanks to initiatives of MNCs and Park Centre itself.
However, it has only been in the past three or four years now that the number of women guards have increased exponentially. Park Centre now employs 10 women guards, in two shifts, posted in and around the main gate, the back gate, at the reception, at smart business centres and main buildings such as Nila, Bhavani, and Tejaswini. According to rough estimates, a couple of dozen more are employed by companies (mostly MNCS).
Mani T., a security guard posted at Nila is one of the ‘veterans’. She has been working on campus for almost 10 years now and is at present working for IBS. “Our duties are the same as our male counterparts, only we are the ones authorised to check women’s bags and also frisk women employees/visitors, if necessary. We’ve been told to keep an extra eye on the safety of women employees, especially pregnant women. In all my years in Technopark, I’ve always found techies to courteous and well-behaved. I like the fact that the office arranges cabs for us when working the night shift,” she says.
At present, women security guards are only posted on the main campus. “We really need them in Phase Three!” says Anaswara.
Sajitha, meanwhile, wishes that they would be present late night too. “Quite a few women employees work the third shift. The city police’s Pink Patrol patrols the areas around the main gate and back entrance late at night but it would be nice if we could have women security guards on duty within campus too.”